The Kestrel in Ayrshire - annual report 2007

Kestrels For Company

available in bookstores

Annual Report 2007

As with the 2006 season the big surprise was the lack of voles in some areas. Even in the areas where the kestrels did well there was a distinct lack of signs on the ground which would have indicated a vole peak. The general concensus among fieldworkers was that the 2005 low was a very severe one and that vole recovery in some areas was very slow. This patchy situation was reflected in the breeding results.

The weather was mixed, a cold sunny but dry April, a mixed May and wet June and July. This did not seem to deter the birds which bred as they were extremely productive with the usual high conversion of eggs to fledged young (94%). Territory occupation was particularly low but clutch sizes of the breeding birds was high with 3 clutches of 6 eggs and the number of young produced per successful pair was extremely high at 5.15 per pair. This goes against the trend in many other parts of Britain where brood sizes are diminishing (BTO figures).

The 2007 breeding statistics are as follows :-

	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002

Number of territories checked	34	35	35	33	30	34
% occupation	59	72	51	84	66	44
Number of clutches known	12	16	14	24	13	9
Average clutch size	5.25	4.75	4.5	5.5	5.46	4.4
% of eggs which hatched	95	84	74	92	83	82
Number of results known	17	25	14	26	20	12
Average young per breeding pair	4	3.2	3.2	4.2	3.1	2.75
Average young per successful pair	5.15	3.8	4.1	4.8	3.9	4.1
Number of breeding attempts failed	3	4	3	3	4	4
% failed	17	16	21	11	20	33
% brood survival	93	98	89	90	91	82
Number of young ringed	44	46	40	67	40	30

number of field days: 40

The three failed breeding attempts were all at the pre laying stage with the pairs setting up territory, displaying then disappearing from the area. Forty four young were ringed. No ringing recoveries were reported.